


Save mi cielito

by bi_spying



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Bisexual Lance (Voltron), Canon-mostly compliant, Cuban Lance (Voltron), Lance (Voltron)-centric, M/M, Rescue Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-21
Updated: 2017-06-21
Packaged: 2018-11-16 20:19:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,079
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11260224
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bi_spying/pseuds/bi_spying
Summary: Keith. The reason for all of this. Que stupido. Mullethead had gone and gotten bit by an poisonous snake despite being galaxies away from earth. That was the last time they were going to ask any space collectors for assistance.





	Save mi cielito

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone! Thanks for reading this fic! Here's some general Spanish translations that will be helpful when reading:  
> abuelo=grandfather  
> hermana=sister  
> madre/mama=mother/mom  
> padre de mierda=basically calling his dad a piece of shit, or made of shit  
> carina=sweetheart  
> Dios=God  
> Te amo/Te amamos=I love you, we love you  
> mijo=a name you'd call your son  
> The rest should be explained through context or actually repeating itself in english, but feel free to shoot me a note if anything is unclear!  
> -Bi_spying

      Lance kept a mental list of his best and worst days. The day his _abuelo_ died was the first time he saw his mom cry, and the day he resolved to follow in his _abuelo’s_ footsteps and become a fighter pilot. The day he met Blue had felt like a dream. He was a character in a comic book, ready to charge into battle and save the day. His instant connection to her had him seeing stars-literally. It was euphoria and adrenaline and a childish giddiness that had him doing loops in the sky. The day he saw his _hermana_ marry the love of her life and the day his mother left his _padre de mierda_ were always tied in his mind. He had grown up with the strongest women he knew, and his heart had nearly burst out of his chest with pride on both occasions. All those days could be placed into categories, easily sorted out by feelings. Today however, was impossible to categorize in his head.

     His pulse rushed; blood filled with adrenaline. His stomach somehow felt like it had dropped out of his body, and like it was in knots simultaneously. He wanted the moment to never end and yet he needed it to have never existed in the first place. His nerves were shot, and every so often he would giggle hysterically to himself. He was a mess, and not for the first time, he recalled Allura’s warning about shock and mental trauma. He had to ignore it though. He didn’t have enough time. Lance mentally urged Blue to go faster, as fast as you can, as fast as Red and Keith-

     Keith. The reason for all of this. _Que stupido._ Mullethead had gone and gotten bit by an poisonous snake despite being galaxies away from earth. That was the last time they were going to ask any space collectors for assistance. Now they had to race back to earth to find a cure before Keith-Lance mentally shook his head. Keith would be fine. He was fine dealing with aliens and deadly asteroids and the blade of Marmora and a murderous castle. He could survive one measly serpent.

     Lance could see the Milky Way coming into view as Blue sped through the cosmos. This wasn't how he wanted to go back to earth. This wasn't how he wanted to visit his _familia_. His vision blurred as he desperately tried to reimagine the circumstances. The Lions flew in formation, the castle was behind them, guided into the atmosphere by the paladins. They would set down at the Garrison first, hide themselves where Blue had lain dormant for millennia. And Keith could go back to his desert shack and gather his belongings. Then they would get Pidge's _madre_ and finally, finally they could go to Veradero. Back home to see his _familia_.

    And Lance would be Lance the Brave. Lance the Survivor. Lance the success of the family. Not Lance, the failure. Lance, the almost average. Lance, the disappearing boy. Not Lance, the boy desperate to save his crush, his rival, his friend. Keith had been fading fast when they put him into the cryopod, which, due to their recent battles, could no longer heal Keith. The castle was on reserve power until Hunk could bring back another crystal from the Balmera. All they could hope was for the cryopod to slow down Keith’s heart enough for Lance to have time to get to Earth and back for a cure. If not…Lance refused to think about the possibilities. He could do it! He was a paladin of Voltron, a defender of the galaxy!

   Besides, he supposed he was lucky. He had family that worked in a hospital that had antidote creating capabilities. They wouldn't ask questions, beyond the ones about his sudden reappearance. They would help him. They had to. And then he could take off. Back to the castle and the lions and his friends. Back to Keith. Back to being homesick for the oceans and his family and his country. Far away from beaches and garlic knots and that street corner where he kissed a boy for the first time.

   Blue was entering Earth’s atmosphere now. The clouds and sky blurred together, looking like nothing more that streaks of light. Then, suddenly, Blue slowed down and they burst through the clouds. Ocean stretched ahead of them for miles. Blue as the Balmera crystals, glittering like the edge of Keith’s sword during training. Lance felt his thoughts calm as Blue purred in contentment. He was home. Sending a prayer up for Keith to last just a little longer buddy, I’ll save you I promise, he prepared to exit his Lion. Blue was hovering over the water, waiting for him to jump in.

   Jump he did, making sure to adjust his body so it cut smoothly through the clear water. He felt Blue nudge his mind as she flew off to hide a few hundred miles off the coast, as if to remind him to focus. As if he could think of anything else. Keith was all his mind could think of. His heart seemed to pulse his name, Keith, Keith, Keith. He was a flurry of anxiety and longing and a need to make sure everything was okay. A need to protect his fellow paladin. His impatience tightened his muscles, which made him force his technology to its limits. Luckily, Lance could already see the hint of land in the distance as his suit propelled him through the ocean. He couldn’t waste time enjoying the cool, familiar feel of the waves enveloping him as if to welcome him home. He had to hurry, Keith needed him.

   Nearing the shores of Veradero beach, Lance turned towards the caves he had played in as a child. They were a secret known only to the locals, devoid of the hub of tourists that was a constant on the beach itself. Stuffing his suit there would be the safest place for the Altean tech. And then he was ready. Taking the small vial of poison from his suit and stuffing it into his jacket pocket, Lance exited the caves and headed towards the small path leading back towards the beach itself. Weighing his options of looking suspicious and being stopped for running, or walking fast and getting to the hospital without being stopped, Lance started out at a jog until he reached the beach. Slowing to a brisk walk, Lance kept his head down, glancing up at the familiar surroundings only to make sure he didn’t bump into anyone he knew. Passing the local ice cream stall, he glanced up-and almost tripped over his own two feet as he saw his own face staring back at him from a black and white poster.

_What the quiznak?_ Why was there a photo of him up at the ice cream stall? And there! Another one at the police station! Along with the other missing-oh. Missing children. Right. He had forgotten. His _familia_ must think the worst had happened to him. _Oh_ _Dios_. Did they think he died? Run away? Did they know he loved them and didn’t have a choice? His madre would have received a message from the Garrison and oh he knows how she is. She would have tried to be strong for the little ones, but over such a long period of time, nearly three years by his estimate, she would have lost all hope. She wasn’t one to put energy into lost causes. Maybe he could stop at his house for just a minute, just long enough to show them that he was alive and loved them all. Or maybe Hunk would reach the Balmera and get a crystal fast enough that Lance and his cure wouldn’t be needed at all! Maybe he could have a break and visit his favourite places and-no. Focus Lance. Keith needs you. Voltron needs you. Heck, the entire universe apparently needs you. Even if your family thinks you’re dead, or missing, or worse. The universe needs you, and so does your new mismatched family of paladins, aliens and alien rodents. Lance picked up his pace. He had two families now, but there was only one that truly needed him. And he refused to let them down more than he already had.

   He made it to the hospital in good time. He hadn’t been stopped once, which was both great and puzzling. With all the posters still up, wouldn’t someone have recognized him? He didn’t look that different, he was still Lancelot Rodriguez-McClain. He just…had a few extra scars is all. Maybe some more muscle. He hadn’t changed that much in three years, had he? Would his family be able to recognize him now? Would they in a few years? Stopping in front of the reception area of the hospital, Lance forcibly pushed his thoughts aside.

   “Hey there. I’m Lance. Here to see a certain Mariana McClain-Vasquez? Though seeing you was certainly an added bonus. Think you can point me in the right direction _cariña_?” Throwing in an eyebrow wiggle for good measure, Lance saw the secretary’s face redden. After multiple years in space, he had gotten good at judging the right strategies for getting others to want to help him. In this case, laying on the charm seemed to do the trick.

   “Just give me a moment to check.”, she looked flustered, glancing down at her computer screen for a few seconds before starting the search. “She’s up on the fifth-floor maternity ward, room 504. Congratulations to the new mama.” Seeming to have gotten over her reaction to his compliment, she beamed up at Lance, visibly excited over the idea of new life.

   “Uh, thanks! Maternity ward, yup! Just what I was expecting you to say. Haha why wouldn’t my pregnant sister be in the maternity ward? Giving birth to my niece or nephew with my full knowledge. Right. Um, thanks again.” Lance hurried away, mind racing. He had missed his sister’s pregnancy, what else had he missed? Lost in thought, he entered the elevator and almost forgot to hit the button until someone cleared their throat.

   Turning around, he goes to apologize, a bashful grin already fixed on his face. And stops in his tracks. The hair pulled tight into a ponytail, with a few unruly wisps like a cloud around her face. The laugh lines around her mouth and eyes, only more pronounced than they had been the last time he had seen her. The small stature that meant nothing when combined with the full force of the personality behind it. His hero. His _madre_. His face drains of colour and he sways on the spot, feeling faint. He sees his _madre_ do the same, and they crash into each other in their frantic race to cling to one another. Lance’s head is spinning with the shock of seeing his mother. She’s spouting gibberish that he thinks is broken Spanish, let out between sobs. He can feel himself responding in kind, repeating the same line over and over again.

   “ _Mamà estoy aquí._ Mama I’m here. I’m back.” For now, at least. He would have to explain to her that he had to leave again, but for now he revelled in the feeling of his mother’s embrace, the feeling of finally being home again. Sooner than he would have liked, the elevator dinged, announcing their arrival at the fifth-floor. His mother removes her arm and sniffs, wiping away any trace of tears with an efficiency brought on by years of practice. Her gaze turned steely as her eyebrows furrowed and her jaw clenched. Her folded arms only made her appear more intimidating, much more intimidating than anyone 5 feet tall had any right to look.

   “You might be back now, but where have you been? _¡Que egoisto!_ We’ve been so worried about you; how could you show up now like nothing has happened? We thought maybe you had-oh Lance you _stupido! Te amo. Te amamos._ You completely disappeared without a trace. The Garrison told us _nada! ¡Menos que nada! Un montón de mierda. Vamos_ , see your sister, but we are having a conversation about this right after, Lancelot Andrés Rodriguez-McClain.” Lance felt a pang of guilt as he realized there wouldn’t be enough time to have a conversation until much, much later. His poor _mamà_ , he was going to break her heart all over again. But he had to go, he had to get the antivenom and leave. He supposed he could consider himself lucky that this time he wasn’t leaving without a goodbye.

   “ _Yo sé mama. Te amo tambien._ I’m sorry I left, but I can’t stay. I need to see Mariana and ask for help. _Mamà_ it’s a matter of life and death. Someone could die if I’m not fast enough. They might die and it would be all my fault. I have to hurry. Please understand. I can’t let him die.” Lance felt sick to his stomach with guilt. He knew what he was asking was unfair, but she had to understand, he couldn’t let Keith die. His stupid mistake couldn’t be what cost Keith his life.

_The disorganized remnants of the Galra Empire had really done a number on the ship this time around. Having caught everyone off-guard, the ion canon had hit the castle before they could get the particle barrier up. After a quick battle, they went off in search of the nearest merchants to find the necessary parts for repairs in the lions, promising to be back before the next quintent. Stopping off at the nearest free planet, they were quick to find a local merchant within the capital city._

_The merchant, Xlotes, led them into a manor dug deep into the mountainside, where he stated he kept all his best wares for important customers. Even Lance could tell he was laying it on thick, trying to stay on the good side of the paladins. Looking over at Keith, it was clear his fellow teammate wasn’t buying into it, eyebrows furrowed in suspicion and hand twitching by his bayard. Even like this he managed to look infuriatingly handsome. Not that Lance was noticing, because he totally didn’t like the guy like that. It’s just that anyone with eyes could see how absurdly good-looking Keith was, and honestly it wasn’t fair that he had the good looks and a great personality to match. How was Lance supposed to rival someone like that when he kept getting distracted by his eyes and those damn muscles and look, it’s not like Lance could help staring when they were in training and Keith’s eyes gave away his next move, and the sweat glistened off his muscles in the castle lighting looking like the light off the early morning waves and-okay. So maybe Lance had a bit of a problem when it came to Keith. But it was attraction, not a crush! He didn’t like the guy…not much at least. Only like a little bit. It barely counted as a crush._

_He heard a laugh next to him. Pidge was staring at him with mirth in their eyes. Oh right, he had been staring at Keith that entire time. Damn Pidge’s observant nature, they always seemed to catch him when he stared at Keith. Not that it happened often. Honestly, most times he was caught he had been glaring! Anyway, staring. Lance was stopping that now._

_They were finally at the room in the manor that had what they needed. Honestly, the rest of the dude’s house looked like a museum, but this room looked like someone had mixed a dump and a zoo together. There was a wall of cages, filled with all sorts of interesting creatures, none of which Lance had ever seen before. The other side of the room was piled high with machine parts, where Hunk and Pidge were already exclaiming over their finds. Shiro stood, speaking pleasantries with the merchant as the others dispersed around the room._

_Lance headed over to the wall of creatures, intent on trying to identify some of the creatures from the science lessons Coran had decided to start teaching them. He tried to ignore Keith, who followed him like a shadow across the room. He had been doing it a lot lately, hanging around Lance but staying quietly out of the way unless Lance engaged. He seemed awkwardly out of place, like he didn’t quite know how best to start up a conversation unless it was arguing, teasing, or during training. Although awkward, the companionable silence had been nice, a calming break from Coran’s stories and Hunk’s booming voice. The conversations they did have managed to happen without any arguing, and they had been working better together both during and outside of training since it started._

_Lance stopped outside a cage, looking in at the creature within. It looked like something that could’ve come from Earth. Scales covered its body, which was coiled in the corner of the cage. It looked…Lance shifted his gaze to the plaque beside the cage. It was! A snake from Earth! Eager for the familiarity, Lance opened the cage. The snake regarded him with beady eyes, its tongue tasting the air around it. Maybe he smelled like Earth! Could it tell? Was there a distinct Earth smell? Would he even smell like it after so long away? Reaching in, he goes to pick the snake up. And is pushed to the side by Keith, who screams his name in terror._

  
_When Lance regains his bearings, the snake is attached to Keith’s arm, who is staggering away from the cage, face drained of colour._

   He enters his sister’s room hesitantly, his mother following close behind, with her hand gripping his shoulder. His sister is cradling a little yellow bundle in her arms, looking exhausted but content. His bother-in-law is sitting beside her, his hand on her shoulder as he looks down at the blankets in her arms. Both look up as Lance enters the room, eyes widening in shock.

  “Lance? _¿Que pasa?_ Raphael, I think I’m hallucinating. Call the doctors in please?” His sister rubbed at her eyes with one hand, yawning loudly. Raphael didn’t answer, instead coming over to Lance and hugging him tightly.

  “We thought you were dead. We grieved for you. I’m glad to see you alive and well, but where were you?”

  "It’s a little hard to explain what happened to me, but for now I need your help. Mariana, is there any way you can get someone from your department to help find an antidote for this?” Lance pulled out the vial of venom, holding it carefully lest it break. His sister was looking at him through narrowed eyes, clearly mistrusting what was going on.

  “Why is my baby brother carrying a vial of venom in his pocket? And why isn’t the person that needs the antidote at a hospital? Just what have you gotten yourself into Lance?” Oh yea, she was so not happy. Still slightly loopy on drugs, she was still clearheaded enough to know something was up.

  “Listen, I’ll explain later. But there’s no way to get him to the hospital, and Keith needs the antidote as fast as possible. Mariana, please trust me on this. He’ll die if I can’t help him. I’m the only one who can.” Lance could only plead with his sister, hoping to wear her down. He needed her help. If he couldn’t get it…well, he didn’t even want to think about the possibility of not getting it.

  “You’ve been gone for three years Lance. I don’t even know you, much lest trust you with drugs that you would be stealing from the hospital that, need I remind you, I work at!” Ouch. Clearly, he had a lot of apologizing to do after all of this was over. If it ever ended.

  “Mari, he’s dying. He’s in the middle of no where with nothing else that can help him. They’re all relying on me to save him! It’s my fault he’s in danger in the first place, I can’t let him die.” Dios, he felt sick to his stomach. His heart felt like it was cracking open. Keith couldn’t die. It wasn’t allowed. Lance wouldn’t let it happen. Especially not because of his stupid mistake.

  “They? Have you joined some sort of cult in the middle of nowhere? Lance, we’re just worried about you! You disappear for three years and then come back, asking for something illegal, to save someone who apparently can’t come to a hospital while you can. Is it a gang? Drugs? We can help you, you don’t have to tell us what it is, but we can get you out of it. Hide you, go somewhere far away if we have to.” Mariana was pushing herself up now, getting into the argument with an energy that was at odds with how tired she must have been.

  “It’s not any of that! _Dios_ , it’s not like that at all, I promise. I’ll explain it all later, I just don’t have time to do it right now. If you can follow me out of the hospital, I’ll even show you what I’ve been up to.” He would have to show them Blue, but Allura and Coran never said he couldn’t. And Blue would love meeting his family, he was sure of it.

  “Hold it. We’re not moving a woman who just gave birth a few hours ago. That would be hazardous to her health. And we shouldn’t just leave our baby here without anyone around. Lance, this is insane.”

  “Excuse you, I want to see what my little brother has been doing for the past three years. If we grab a wheelchair, I’ll be fine. And your parents are going to be here any minute. We can leave little Lancelot here with them for a little bit. I feel strong enough to do this. Worst comes to worst, we both know you can carry me.”

  “Little…little Lancelot? You guys named the baby after me?” Lance was struck by the sudden urge to cry. His sister had named her firstborn after him. His little nephew, who was still cradled in Mariana’s arms, asleep and oblivious to the chaos around him.

  “Of course. You were an obnoxious little brother, but we loved you Lance. His full name is Lancelot Manuel Vasquez, after Raphael’s father. And after you. I’ll call up to my unit in the hospital. I’m sure Julián is working today, and he owes me a favour. But after this Lance, you are explaining to all of us why it’s sounding more and more like you ran away with a lover to go join a cult.” Lance’s face felt like it had burst into flame. Mariana shot him a look of triumph, as she likely thought his reaction had to do with her being right. _Oh Dios,_ she thought he and Keith were-that they-oh man.

  “Gotcha. I will. Right after I get what I need. I promise.” Lance’s voice cracked as he spoke. He needed out of there, his face was still bright red and his sister wouldn’t stop with her knowing looks. Gah. She was worse than Pidge. At least now she was somewhat distracted by her phone call to Julián.

  Mariana had given him perfect directions into the unit, despite her earlier reluctance. Bypassing the patient areas, he made his way into the lab, where Julián waited, ready to analyze the venom. The technology must have been updated in the past few years, because the wait seemed to take no time at all. Grabbing a pre-made polyvalent antivenom, Julián quickly explained the process of injection, all the while gathering the supplies Lance would need. Saline fluids, adrenaline, needles, all were placed into a medical kit ready for Lance to take to Keith. The medicine that would save Keith. All he had to do now was make it to him in time.

  It wasn’t long before he was rushing back down to his family, a bag slung over his shoulders with the kit inside. Leaving the hospital with his sister in tow involved some creative maneuvering to avoid the eyes of the ever-observant nurses. They took a wheelchair for Mariana, and got her settled before heading off. Sneaking past the front desk on the pretense of a quick walk around the hospital, they quickly walked to the car and loaded everyone in. The drive to the beach took no time at all, and soon enough, Raphael had to carry his wife down past the sand and towards the caves, the rest of the family trailing behind him.

  Lance led them into the largest cave in the system. Immediately Blue’s calming presence washed over him. She was already there then, that was going to make explaining things easier. He was still going to sound insane, but at least he had a giant blue robot lion to back him up.

  “Okay, so I know this is gonna sound crazy, but hear me out. I didn’t run away at the Garrison. Takashi Shirogane crashed nearby and we rescued him from the Garrison personnel that had him restrained like an animal. Then the next day there were these crazy coincidences and one thing led to another and BANG! We found Blue here who took us to outer space! Then we ran into these people called the Galra but I’ll get into that later. For now, what’s important is finding that device I was telling you about! You remember my teammate Pidge Gunderson? They’re the one that created this thing, and I was supposed to use it during this mission but forgot it in my lion-oh! That’s what I call Blue. She’s like a sentient magical, ultra-technologically advanced robot cat that helps form the defender of the galaxy-that’s what I’ve been doing by the way, defending the galaxy from these nasty aliens called the Galra. Anyway, this device will let you guys communicate with the ship whenever we have time, so you won’t have to worry about me.” Lance knew he was rambling, but his nerves had twisted his stomach into knots. He knew his family was confused, it was a lot to take in and required them to suspend their disbelief far beyond his normal grandiose stories.

  “ _Mijo,_ just show us this Blue. We will worry regardless, but I would give anything to have a way of communicating with you again. Everything you’re saying is a bit…hard to believe, and being able to understand your situation might take your old madre some time.” His mother was a saint. There was no other explanation as to why any sane human would be so calm and understanding about something so insane.

  He could hear Blue’s mechanical whirring as she came into view. Behind him, his family had stopped in their tracks. He could hear gasps interspersed with muttered exclamations. Turning around to face them, he grinned. His sister had her hands over her mouth, which rested against Raphael’s shoulder as he cradled her in his arms. His mamà and brother were both open-mouthed, disbelief written plainly on their faces. His grin widened. Oh, this was going to be fun.

  “This, _mi familia_ , is my partner and all around super incredible lion, Blue. Blue, this is my family, the one’s I think about so often.” Blue’s mind pressed against his own, calm but joyous.

  “So, when you meant a high-tech alien robot, you actually meant a high-tech alien robot? It wasn’t some sort of slang?” Raphael seemed the most collected out of the group, his shock making way for curiosity.

  “Yup. Blue here is as high-tech as it gets. No one in the entire galaxy has anything like her, besides the other four paladins. “Lance beamed, proud as always of his lion and her incredible capabilities.

  “ _Mijo_...you’ve really been fighting aliens? In this ship? _¿Que estabas pensando?_ You could be hurt! Or worse!” His mother looked terrified at the thought, eyes widening in alarm.

  “ _Mamà_ , I’m fine. Blue chose me to be her paladin, which means I’m the only one right now who can do this. She needs me, and so do the others. You’ve always taught me to do the right thing, even when it’s hard. And I know that this is it.” He stood firm on this. No matter what, helping others and saving them from oppression was the right thing to do. He couldn’t stand by knowing the terrible conditions the Galra forced others to suffer.

  “If I cannot stop you, can I at least make you take a break? It has been a long time since I have seen you _mijo,_ and I know it will be longer still if I let you leave now. Come, we can go back to the hospital and you can visit with your baby nephew.”

  “I can’t. I have to go. Keith is dying and I’m the only one that has what we need to save him. And, he means a lot to me. I mean, to us. We can’t do this without him.” His madre gave him a knowing look, the same one she gave him every time he started talking about one person just a little too much. Her face softened and she nodded.

  “Okay. If you must go, then you must go. I cannot stop you. Save this boy Lance, then tell him how you feel. You only make it harder on yourself by denying it cariño. And please, try to give us some form of contact. Don’t let the next three years go by without talking to us. We worry about you Lancelot, now more than ever.” Lance felt himself flush, and ducked his head. Avoiding her stare, he thought hard about her words. Something about them seemed to tickle his brain, as if it were trying to remember something connected to it…. contact…communicate…. communicator! The communicators Pidge had given them!

  “I got it! Pidge-the green lion’s paladin-made us these super strong communicator things that connect with our helmets and the lions. If we can make it work from here, then I can leave it and we can talk from almost any distance! I can give you guys updates and you can be our ears here on Earth. Maybe track down Pidge’s madre and let Hunk’s parents know that the big guy is still around and kicking. Here, I’ll go get it now.” With that, Lance turned away from his family and made his way towards Blue, eager to see if his solution would work. And trying to hide his still flushed face. His madre always saw right through him.

  Running into his lion, Lance pulled out the communicator Pidge had left him for long range travel. They had made one for each lion, but he was sure they wouldn’t mind what he was planning on doing next. Coming back out to his family, he showed them the device, a small sphere with English writing along the edges, and five buttons forming a pentagram on top. Each button was coloured differently; there was yellow for Hunk, red for Keith, green for Pidge, purple for Shiro and blue for himself. Twisting the top, the sphere popped open, the top coming up to form a small satellite dish.

  He could feel his sister’s awe as he set the device in her hands. His mother and Raphael looked on curiously as Lance hit the green button. Immediately, the satellite started to turn, looking for the best signal. Static crackled, and then he heard Pidge’s voice coming through the device.

  “Lance? Lance! We’ve been trying to get a hold of you for hours now! The castle is running low on reserve power, there’s probably only a few hours of energy left before it’s completely depleted and the others are still a day away with the new crystal. I’ve rerouted the energy from the escape pods and rigged everything so that we’re using only the basics. But it will only work for an hour or two. Please tell me you’re on your way back.” Pidge sounded drained, voice tight with worry.

  “Pidge! I’m on my way. Getting the supplies took longer than we thought it would. Any way you can stretch the power a little longer, just a couple of extra hours? I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

  “Roger, I’ll do my best. But hurry Lance, the pod isn’t working right and Keith isn’t looking so good. His blood won’t coagulate, so we’ve had to use a tourniquet to slow the bleeding. Lance, what are we going to do if he doesn’t make it?” Lance had rarely heard Pidge sound so terrified. Keith must be in a bad way for the regularly level-headed Pidge to sound so upset. Looking up at his family, he saw their concern for his friend clear in their eyes.

  “He will. I’m on my way Pidge, I know what to do to save him, and I have everything we’ll need. We’ll get there in time, I promise.” Turning to his family, he continued. “I have to go now. But I’ll be in touch soon, I promise.”

  He hugged his sister tightly, kissing her gently on the forehead. She was tired, but alert, giving him a sad smile as he moved on to his brother-in-law. He was a good man, and a good friend to Lance and his mother. Squeezing him tight, Raphael lifted him fully off his feet. When they separated, he gave him a firm nod, tears sparkling in his eyes. Finally, he reached his madre. How could he possibly leave her again, so soon after being reunited? The tears that had so far stayed in his eyes finally spilled over the edge, and soon he was crying loudly into his mother’s shoulder. She rubbed his back, as she had done all the years he can remember, whispering gentle nothings into his ear. After a long moment, she pulled back, looking him in the eyes.

  “Go _mijo_ , your _cielito_ needs you. We will contact you soon, and be prepared for a better explanation next time around. Give Hunk our love as well, his padres miss him terribly.” Pushing him slightly, his mamà turned towards the others. As a group, the made their way to the side of the cave as Lance walked up the gangplank of his lion, stopping in the middle for one last glace to tide him over for until the next time he would see them. Finally, he was ready to go.

  Waving goodbye to his family, he pointed one again at the communicator and signaled that they should call him. Turning, he walked into the cockpit of his lion, and prepared to take off. His family stood a good distance away, watching as he went. Blue dove down into the ocean and sped through the water. There was no use trying to take off until they were far away from any prying eyes, lest they get stopped before they could leave the atmosphere. Once they were far enough away, Lance urged Blue to head towards the surface, laughing as she did a flip in the water before heading upwards.

  Blue leapt out of the water, as graceful as a dolphin. Lance could feel her worry beginning to emanate off her in waves, both of their minds clearly focused on the red paladin. Before long, Blue was passing Pluto on the way out of the solar system. They had a while to go before they would reach the castle of lions, so Lance tried to calm down using the breathing techniques Shiro had been taught by the Olkari. They could do this. They had the hospital supplies, his sister had prepped him for what to expect. Keith would be fine, and would make a full recovery. Lance was sure of it.

  They were several galaxies away when Pidge started talking to him through his helmet.

  “Lance! Lance, you need to get here now. The castle’s reserve power is almost all used up, it’s starting to shut down, and the cryopod is going to stop working. Keith can’t survive out of there for longer than a few minutes, we need the antivenom or he’s not going to make it.”

  “Pidge, we’re still a few galaxies away. Please tell me there’s something you can do, some way to reroute the power. I just need a little extra time. Please.” No no no no no. Keith couldn’t die on him. Lance had the antivenom! He was almost there! He just needed a bit more time. Pidge could do it, he knew they could. If anyone was capable of pulling amazing last minute saves out of thin air, it was Pidge.

  “Lance, I’ve tried everything! This stupid castle doesn’t have enough energy for anything! And nothing I’ve done has made any difference. Please get here, I need this family to stay together, please.”

  This was bad. _Oh dios_ , he could hear Pidge quietly crying through his helmet. If Pidge had lost hope…there was nothing he could do. Keith was…Lance’s eyes filled with tears. It was all his fault. He just couldn’t ever seem to think of the consequences of his actions, damnit! Everything could have been avoided if he wasn’t part of Voltron. If he was smarter, better than he was. If he was more like any of the others, more like what everyone surely wished him to be.

  Keith had saved him, and was now paying for it with his life. What kind of person did that make him? And how would any of them fare without Keith there alongside them? How could they continue without the impassioned rants about cryptids? The advice on fighting technique? The dry, sardonic humour? How could they defend the universe without the one that made it worth defending? Lance could feel his despair spiraling, joining his grief as it weighed him down, settling deep in his stomach like a Balmeran crystal. If he couldn’t save Keith, he could hardly be expected to save the entire universe. He should just resign, go back to his family. He didn’t deserve to be a paladin, and the universe deserved better. Keith deserved better.

  He looked down at the controls. It would be hard to give up Blue, but she deserved a paladin who could save the universe. Not a cargo pilot playing pretend. He watched as the dashboard lit up, obviously Blue’s way of comforting him. Or was it? That circle in the middle was different than the usual set up. He could feel Blue mentally nudging him to press it. Hitting the circle, Lance waited for something to happen.

  Blue roared, the sound echoing in Lance’s ears. In front of him, he watched in wonderment as a wormhole appeared, it’s blue glow bathing his face in light. He could vaguely hear Pidge through his helmet, keeping him updated as the castle started shutting down around them. Leaning forward, he urged Blue on as she raced towards the wormhole and home. Just a little bit longer and they would be at the castle. They could make it if they hurried. Lance could save him. Keith could survive to tease him and train with him, to laugh together at Hunk’s shenanigans and worry about Shiro as a team. He could scoff at Lance’s half-hearted attempts to woo Allura and go back to feeding the mice his leftovers. He could live.

  Travelling through the wormhole felt like speeding along in a jet, faster than sound. In what felt like second, they arrived at the other end. His heart leapt. He could make out the castle in front of them, dimmed and silent, as if already mourning. It wouldn’t have to. None of them would. Lance could make it. Blue tore through space, getting to the castle and through the already opened airlock that awaited them.

  Lance grabbed the bag filled with the hospital supplies and jumped out of Blue’s open mouth. He sprinted along the lion’s chamber and made his way to the stairwell. With the power on standby, none of the elevators were going to work. Lance had never run faster in his life; his heart was pounding and his lungs burned. Still, he persisted. His feet pounded along the floor as finally, he caught sight of the infirmary doors.

  Lance burst into the infirmary where Pidge and Allura waited. He could see Keith, out of the cryopod, unconscious, oblivious to the panic around him as the castle powered down, leaving only life-support running. If they were going to save Keith, it had to be now. Someone had managed to create a rudimentary IV, which dangled out of Keith’s hand like a dead thing.

  Working fast, he set up the saline drip and connected it to the IV already in place. Then he measured out the antivenom and injected it into the drip, hoping against hope that it would work. He watched Keith’s uneven breaths in silence. Out, in. Out, in. Out, in. Out-Nothing. Lance hurried to Keith’s side and fumbled for his wrist. Nothing. No pulse, no breathing. Lance felt dizzy, this couldn’t be happening. He had made it on time damnit!

  Grabbing for the bag of medical supplies, he pulled out the syringe of adrenaline. Last chance. If this didn’t work, nothing would. And then-no. Lance wouldn’t think about it. It would work. Pulling off the cap, he hovered his hand over Keith’s thigh. One, two, three-Quickly, he used the needle as Julián had directed, pumping Keith full of adrenaline. Moving back towards Keith’s head to check for breathing, he watched silently.

  Lance’s hand rested against Keith’s face as he waited with bated breath for him to respond to the adrenaline. Please, please let this have worked. For a beat, then two, nothing happened. Then-a miracle. Keith inhaled sharply, eyes flying open and hand grabbing for Lance’s. His back arched off the ground, until, with a groan, he settled back down, wincing as he went. Keith’s eyes darted around the room before stopping to stare at Lance in wonderment. Licking his lips, his eyebrows furrowed slightly before he cleared his throat.

  In the background, he could hear Pidge’s sob of relief, and Allura’s quiet reassurances. Lance could feel everything else fading away as he focused on Keith, who was alive. The red paladin was in front of him, heart beating and eyes open. Tears welled up in his own eyes, spilling hot against his cheeks. He could find it in himself to only say one thing, one name, that fell from his lips like a whispered prayer.

  Keith stared back at him, startled. Struggling, he attempted to sit up, barely getting off the ground before his arms gave out. Lance caught him, pulling him close.

  “Hey _mi cielito_ , take it easy. You’ve been through a hell of a rough time. Do you remember anything?” Oh shit. Lance winced internally. He hadn’t meant for the pet name to slip, he could only hope Keith hadn’t noticed it.

  “I…I think so? We were at the merchant’s manor, and you were looking at the creatures. You found a snake and opened the cage and-shit Lance that was a coral snake! Those things are deadly. Were you bit? Are you hurt?” Keith struggled in Lance’s arms, scanning Lance for wounds. He sounded panicked, as if he expected Lance to suddenly drop dead in front of him.

  “Hey, hey I’m okay. I’m fine. You pushed me out of the way and got bit yourself. You’re the one we should be worried about.” Keith calmed down with a sigh of relief, clearly more at ease with being the one to almost die. Lance brushed some of Keith’s stray hairs out of his face absent-mindedly, riding on a wave of relief. Static burst through Lance’s helmet a few feet away, startling everyone in the room. And then-

  “ _Oi, Roméo, ¿cómo está tu amorcito ?_ Is your Keith feeling better? Once he’s fully healed, don’t forget you promised to- “, Lance placed Keith gently on the ground before pouncing on the helmet and stuffing it onto his head, letting out an ugly screech as he did so. He could hear Pidge’s gleeful laughter through the helmet. He turns down the volume as low as it can go, and walks back over towards Keith. That was a close one. _Dios,_ if Keith ever found out about his crush-

  Lance felt the helmet being ripped from his head by a surprisingly strong Keith, who placed it over his own head, wrapping his arms securely around it. He was breathing hard, having expended more energy than he should have. _Dios_ , did he need to strap Keith down to get him to rest and recover? This boy had no sense, and it was going to be the death of Lance.

  “What do you mean by _amorcito_? Is there a translation you could give me or-oh. Okay so that’s what it means. Huh. And what about _cielito_? I heard that one a few minutes ago. Ask Lance to tell me? I guess, but why would he tell me unless-okay. I can let him know. Thanks.” Lance wanted to melt into the floor. Or go running to Blue and never leave the cockpit again. His _familia_ were traitors, all of them. Keith was staring at him impatiently, clearly waiting for an explanation, breathing finally slowing down to a normal rate.

  “So, my _hermana_ , she’s out of her mind on drugs right now, and totally doesn’t know what she’s talking about. She’s always had a vivid imagination as a kid and when I was back on Earth she was totally having hallucinations on the drugs, so I wouldn’t trust what she’s saying-“

  “Lance-“

  “-I mean, after the shocks she’s had today, she must be exhausted too. You know what they say, tired brain, sloppy translations!”

  “Lance, no one says that. If you would just-“

  “So clearly, it would be best if you just forget all about what she may or may not have said. And what I totally didn’t say earlier that you were asking about for some reason. Are you okay Keith? I mean, you had some pretty big shocks too, you should probably go rest or something.”

  “Lance! Listen to me for a minute!” Keith was clearly losing his patience. Nodding meekly, Lance sat down next to him, their legs brushing slightly. “Your sister told me that _amorcito_ meant sweetheart. And I took enough French in high school to know that she’s right. Now, she told me to tell you to remember your promises, and that she could still tell your mother about something that happened in seventh grade. Do you want to tell me what _cielito_ means? I won’t be mad. I actually, uh, I kinda like to hear you say it, to be honest.” Keith was blushing. And saying he liked being called a pet name. Lance must be dreaming. Or his brain had finally short circuited.

  “It um, it means cute little sky. It just seemed to fit, since we’re in space. And your eyes are like the sky at dusk at Veradero Beach. And, you’re looking at me weird. I went too far didn’t I? I’m sorry man, it won’t happen again, I promise.” Oh no oh no oh no oh no. Man, this was bad. Keith wouldn’t stop staring at him with that look in his eyes and what was he doing, he looked determined now. Was he going to shoot Lance down? Ask him to leave him alone?

  “Lance. Ah, te… _te amo, cielito._ That’s how it’s said, right?” _Dios_. This was a dream. There was no way Keith was saying these things to him.

  “ _Sí._ Um, yes. Yea. _Te amo, mi cielito lindo. Te amo mucho._ ” So much. _Plus que todos_. Keith closed his eyes and smiled, humming slightly in contentment. Despite their difficulties in the beginning, they had somehow managed to make it to this point.

  They would need to talk about it in the coming days, but for now, they both needed their rest. It had been the longest of days, placed on Lance’s best and worst days lists. But finally, for the first time in what seemed like months, they could relax. For once, everyone was safe. And Lance was determined to make sure it stayed that way.


End file.
